About the Bays
	Edition 65 – May 2012
The Newsletter of the Central Coastal Board	ISSN: 1447-7270
	Coastal Issues in Port Phillip and Western Port

From the Chair

Welcome to the May edition of the Central Coastal Board E-Newsletter.

In this issue:

1. Boating CAP Update
2. VCC Tour of the Central Region
3. VCC Awards for Excellence 2012
4. G21 Regional Growth Plan
5. Melbourne Water’s community consultation on draft strategies
6. CSIRO Launches Coastal Research Web-portal
7. Productivity Commission – Barriers to Effective Climate Change Adaptation draft report
8. Reminders

It is a busy time for the Board as we near the end of our three year term and also the completion of the Department of Climate Change and Energy Efficiency funded Port Phillip Bay Coastal Adaptation Planning project that we are working on with the MAV, ABM, four councils and state government departments and agencies. We have also been finalising CAP reviews and commencing the update of the Boating CAP.

I would like to take this opportunity to acknowledge the work of my fellow Board members and staff and to advise that despite thoroughly enjoying the challenges of coastal planning and management and the work of the board, I have not sought reappointment after three terms as Chair. I would like to thank everyone who I have worked with over the past decade and am very grateful for your interest, support and care for the coast over that time.

Yours sincerely

Liz Johnstone
Chair

Current Projects

Updating the Boating Coastal Action Plan for the central region

The Central Coastal Board has begun work on updating the Boating Coastal Action Plan (CAP) for the central region.

The project is in its first stage which involves a two-part review of the existing Boating CAP: an update of the status of the actions in the CAP and feedback on the CAP’s strengths and weaknesses. We are currently collecting responses from two surveys designed to provide this information and inform the review report, and we look forward to moving into the consultation phase. We are getting a better understanding of how the nature of boating activity may have changed over the past 5 years. We are also establishing the project steering committee and engaging key agencies in finalising the project brief and communications plan. The indicative timing for all stages of the project is below.

For further information please follow this link (Boating CAP on CCB website)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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Victorian Coastal Council Tour of the Central Region

On the 14-15 March 2012, the Victorian Coastal Council visited selected sites around Western Port and Port Phillip Bay. The field trip gave Council members the opportunity to see 'first hand’ a selection of the complex issues faced by coastal planners and managers and to speak with those people involved. Issues covered a broad range of topics including: coastal development, hazard assessment, waterway, catchment and marine management, coastal erosion, natural processes, beach protection and renourishment.

A mix of State and local government staff, land owners, managers and consultants gave presentations over the day and a half.

 

Around the Coast

 

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Victorian Coastal Awards for Excellence 2012

The VCC Awards for Excellence 2012 were held on Thursday 26 April with over 250 individuals from volunteer groups, committees of management, government and non-government organisations in attendance. 

Wurundjeri Elder, Colin Hunter provided the Welcome to Country and the Minister for Environment and Climate Change, the Hon. Ryan Smith presented the awards to this year’s winners. The Minister acknowledged the important role of volunteers in coastal management and confirmed the Government’s commitment to broadening community participation and engagement in coastal issues. Details of all the award winners can be viewed here.

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Draft G21 Regional Growth Plan

The draft G21 Regional Growth Plan has been released for public comment. The G21 region includes five municipalities: Greater Geelong, Colac Otway, Surf Coast, Queenscliffe and Golden Plains. The Regional Growth Plan seeks to manage the growth and land use pressures associated with a regional population expected to increase to around 500,000 by 2050.

The draft Plan along with a detailed Background Report, Issue Papers, Engagement Report, 4 page project brochure and details of the five ‘drop in’ Open Houses to be held around the region can be found on the project website www.g21regionalgrowthplan.com.au

Comments are being taken until 18 May 2012. 

 

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Melbourne Water - community consultation on draft strategies

Melbourne Water are preparing two draft strategies: the Healthy Waterways Strategy and the Stormwater Strategy to guide their actions and management of their waterways and stormwater in the four year period from July 2013.
 
The Healthy Waterways Strategy will replace the current Regional River Health Strategy which expires in 2013 and guides investment and actions for healthy rivers, estuaries and wetlands until June 2018. The range of activities include: vegetation management, environmental flows, habitat enhancement, and working with communities to achieve healthy waterways.
 
The Stormwater Strategy is closely linked to the Healthy Waterways Strategy and focuses on the management of stormwater in rural and urban areas to protect and improve ecosystem health of waterways and bays. It guides Melbourne Water’s work with others to achieve broad community outcomes from stormwater management in relation to liveability, alternative water supply and public health.

You can comment on the draft strategies during May and June 2012 both online and in person.

Online feedback will be activated in Mid May 2012. You can join in and comment via an online forum, survey and email at http://consultation.melbournewater.com.au/

In person: Workshop dates are also advertised at http://consultation.melbournewater.com.au/ where you can register online for one of the eight engagement workshops to be held throughout the Port Phillip and Westernport region
  
For any queries or to be added to the invite list please email Healthywaterwaysstrategy@melbournewater.com.au

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CSIRO Launches Coastal Research Web-portal

The CSIRO has developed the Coastal Research web-portal to provide information on past and present coastal research conducted in Australia. It is an attempt to highlight the breadth and depth of coastal research, as well as making it easier to find past research, investigate collaborations, promote work, and discover research gaps and will raise awareness of research conducted in different areas for councils, consultants, prospective clients, and other stakeholders. The web-portal can be found at: http://coastalresearch.csiro.au

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Barriers to Effective Climate Change Adaptation draft report

The Productivity Commission has released its draft report of Barriers to Effective Climate Change Adaptation. The Commission identified that while most climate change adaptation will occur without the need for government intervention, through normal risk management activities, there is a need for policy reforms and initiatives to enhance this process.

High priority reforms identified by the Commission include reforms to enhance the flexibility of the economy, such as replacing taxes on insurance and property transfers, removing regulations inhibiting competition such as barriers to water trade, improving information on climate risks by increasing the quality and availability of natural hazard mapping and improving emergency management arrangements. Such measures would help build adaptive capacity for future climate changes as well as responding to current climate variability.

In the case of adaptation to uncertain future climate trends, the Commission found that the case for action is strongest for reforms with relatively low upfront costs and delivering benefits under a range of scenarios.

The Commission will be holding public hearings in July and is seeking responses to its draft recommendations and a number of information requests contained in the draft report. A final report will be submitted to the Australian Government in September 2012.
For the full report, contact details and further information, please visit http://pc.gov.au/projects/inquiry/climate-change-adaptation/draft

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Reminders

Coast to Coast Conference (17-21 September 2012 in Brisbane) www.coast2coast.org.au/